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Suwannee County proclaims May as National Foster Care Month; agency warns of shortage of licensed homes
Summary
At a May 5 meeting the board approved a proclamation recognizing National Foster Care Month. A Partnership for Strong Families representative said 43 Suwannee children are in out-of-home care while the county has 14 licensed foster homes.
The Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners on May 5 adopted a proclamation declaring May as National Foster Care Month and highlighting local needs for foster families.
Sebastian Plank, an outreach recruitment specialist with Partnership for Strong Families, told commissioners that "in Suwannee County, we currently have 43 children from this county in out-of-home care and only 14 homes in the entire county." He urged residents, churches and community groups to help recruit foster families and pointed listeners to virtual training resources.
The proclamation text presented to the board restated those local figures and called for community investment in foster parents, social workers and volunteers who support children in care. The board approved the proclamation by voice vote (motion by Commissioner Fleming; second by Commissioner Land), the record showing the motion carried 5-0.
Plank framed the shortage as both a county and regional challenge: Partnership for Strong Families serves 13 counties and reported 621 children in their care across the region with 197 licensed homes, he said. Plank asked the public and local leaders to amplify recruitment and support services so children can remain connected to their communities.
The proclamation will be filed with county records; Plank left materials and information for training sessions available to the public.
